Joining a church

[ColleenLovesMischief]

I Haven't read any of the previous 65 post, but I don't need a consensus to form my opinion on this one. Life in the body of Christ is not about independence but interdependence. Life in the body of Christ is where we are taught self denial and submission, which can only be taught and learned in community. The Scripture is filled with commands to love and be accountable to each other. How could that be accomplished without belonging to a local fellowship of believers?

Can one be accountable to others, love others, interact with others without having their name on the rolls of members at a church?

Why a person would not want to fully embrace the life of their particular local Body is beyond me. God is the one who plants us...we may as well take root!

Local body? Some of us do not have that luxury at this point. I can barely even find christian friends these days. I have taken root my friend. Root in His word.

[Floatingaxe]

I Haven't read any of the previous 65 post, but I don't need a consensus to form my opinion on this one. Life in the body of Christ is not about independence but interdependence. Life in the body of Christ is where we are taught self denial and submission, which can only be taught and learned in community. The Scripture is filled with commands to love and be accountable to each other. How could that be accomplished without belonging to a local fellowship of believers?

Can one be accountable to others, love others, interact with others without having their name on the rolls of members at a church?

Why a person would not want to fully embrace the life of their particular local Body is beyond me. God is the one who plants us...we may as well take root!

Local body? Some of us do not have that luxury at this point. I can barely even find christian friends these days. I have taken root my friend. Root in His word.

That is great! However---keep looking, because God says He plants us. He provides all we need, and a local body is a basic need for Christians. God isn't going to leave you out.

[Guest]

God commands us to marry instead of living with a woman unmarried. Does God command our names be on a membership list?

*Mudcat raises his hand and waves it in the air*

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh, I know this one.......

pick me, pick me.

Picked!

The Lambs Book of Life is a membership list.

Amen!

THE LIST

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

Found In The Lamb's Book

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Revelation 21:27

Is The Names Of Those Who Trust In The LORD

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4

Who Call Upon His Holy Name

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. Joel 2:32

Who Live By His Holy Words

Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16

Who Know Their Redeemer

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. Job 19:25-27

Who Believe

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:14-16

Thank You LORD Jesus

Love, Joe

[Mudcat]

I don't mean to speak on behalf of my fellow "no" voters. Just me.

There is an underlying reason I voted no and it is this.

There a vast number of Christian denominations.

Some damn others, some damn each other mutually, some don't damn nearly anyone to the "wrong side of the fence".

I believe Paul had the right of it, when he said it was better to preach Christ and him crucified...than all this doctrinal flim flam we get hung up in.

We divide ourselves over issues but when it comes down to it.... we all love Jesus and want to be like him.

We can't all be right about these extra things we have built in to being a Christian.

The devil is in the details, not Christ.

It's hard for me to say.... This or that denomination has the real truth. The statement itself, implies that the others don't have the truth. The problem is, that almost every denomination has the truth. Its just that the truth comes with all this other 'Country Club" baggage. This baggage does more to edify the church (little c) than the Church (big C).

I don't want to sound to gloomy. We as Christians are making progress. I have hope.

[Floatingaxe]

There are nondenominational churches, and home churches.

Anyway, don't join a denomination. Join a family of God that you can serve fully in.

[damo1]

hear is a question to the ones who have been going deep in this discussion

are home churches then seen as denominations ?

the reason i am asking the church i am a member of while living and working in Australia is looking at a new faze were we plant home churches in our neighbour hoods we live in we have 20 familys willing to do this as the city i live in is our captial city canberra is very spread out not as dirty as sydney were the pullotion you smell is the fumes of the cars

we have clean air and its built around nature instead of seeing what you see when you land in sydney or new york were you have big buildings

my pastor has been running a course for those intrested every sunday when the 10.30am service finishes

their is no form to sign their is no doctrine to follow by we are looking at acts 4 and acts 5 as our model for the home churches that are to be set up by the members who belong to grace

for those against becomming members of a denomination would you consider joining a home church ? or do you disagree and see home churches as one of your local demoniations in the country you live in ?

we have 900 members in the main church i am a member of a bible collage and two sister churches under the same name as the main church that i attend

the double decker bus we had that was used for out reach has been sold and a local baptist church is ussing the bus

we have also linked up with the other denominations in our capital city and hold cross link confrences we share our resoures help each other out and open up our homes when we have visiting pastors and students from abroad

we have linked up with the anglicans the baptist church the unitting church is comming on board we have also linked up with the aog church christian out reach center and appostolic churches in our captial city

as the pastors and some members that belong to these churches are also intrested in setting up house churches in there neighbour hoods there members live in

by what we are doing is this seen as a bad thing by some who disagree in becomming a member of a bigger church in your part of the world you live in

if i was not geting ready to make the move and live in the philippines i would have put the hand up to set up a house church in my neigbour hood

but my focus is what god is doing in our 5 churches my fiancee and her origonal pastor have planted who know lives in America but keeps in touch with my fiancee as she is the head pastor and supports her and from time to time comes back to the philippines

so far i have been going over what has been discussed i dont want to de rail the op topic i dont believe in doing this

God bless from damo

[Mudcat]

Exactly, I will never be a member of a church because I am totally against denominationalism.

Well what I have done, is join a church. No church is going to be perfect, but we should gather together in worship.

However, Ezekiel, maybe you, myself and some of the others could start a church.

We could call it "Anti-denominationalists for Jesus".... or would that be defeating the purpose .

At any rate, I hope you have (or find) a place where you can get together with other Christians, uplift Christ, teach and be taught.

[Guest Biblicist]

I think there are so many denominations because everyone is trying to find a church that fits their needs/wants. Instead of changing their needs and wants to fit what the church needs.

The church of Jesus Christ is for HIS benefit, not ours.

Religion is what we do for God.

Relationship is what He does for us.

[Floatingaxe]

All I know is that when I found a great church that challenges me to live for Christ in every aspect of my life and teaches me to be outward focused and to be a servant at heart, and loves me and supports me, I couldn't become a member FAST ENOUGH! What a treasure in my life!

I pray that those who refuse for any given reason or excuse would find a body like that. Then, NOTHING will be able to keep them from becoming joined in membership. It is an awesome undertaking and a blessing.

It is a gift from the very hand of God--He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who Provides. He says He will provide! Take Him up on that!

[Guest Biblicist]

AMEN Floatingaxe.